Image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, and image forming system with switchable connection interfaces

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a print medium based on print data supplied from an information processing apparatus; a first communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the information processing apparatus by a first communication method in which the number of connectable apparatuses is set; a second communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the information processing apparatus by a second communication method; and a system controller. The system controller is configured to cause the second communication interface to transmit a notification to the information processing apparatus when the number of apparatuses which are connected by the first communication interface has reached the number of connectable apparatuses, the notification representing that the number of apparatuses which are connected by the first communication interface has reached the number of connectable apparatuses.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming unit configured to form an image on a print medium based on print data supplied from an information processing apparatus;   a first communication interface having a limit on the number of connectable apparatuses and configured to perform wireless communication with the information processing apparatus by a first communication method, the first communication method capable of transmitting and receiving print data;   a second communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the information processing apparatus by a second communication method different from the first communication method, the second communication method capable of transmitting and receiving print data; and   a system controller comprising a processor, wherein the system controller is configured to:
 receive a connection request from the information processing apparatus to connect to the first communication interface via the first communication method, 
 determine a number of connected apparatuses connected to the first communication interface via the first communication method, 
 responsive to determining that the number of connected apparatuses has reached the number of connectable apparatuses, cause the second communication interface to transmit a notification to the information processing apparatus via the second communication method representing that connection via the first communication method is not allowed. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the system controller is further configured to:
 receive a connection request including information for starting wireless communication via the first communication method and the second communication method from the information processing apparatus at the first communication interface,   acquire information for starting wireless communication via the second communication method from the connection request when the number of connected apparatuses connected to the first communication interface reaches the number of connectable apparatuses, and   cause the second communication interface to notify the information processing apparatus that the number of connected apparatuses connected to the first communication interface has reached the number of connectable apparatuses, using the acquired information.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the system controller is further configured to cause the second communication interface to notify, at a time at which the number of connected apparatuses connected to the first communication interface reaches the number of connectable apparatuses, an unspecified information processing apparatus existing within communication range of the second communication interface of the same. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the system controller is further configured to cause the second communication interface to notify an unspecified information processing apparatus existing within a communication range of the second communication interface of the number of apparatuses which are connectable by the first communication interface. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the system controller is further configured to:
 initiate communication by the second communication interface if the first communication interface does not receive a connection request from the information processing apparatus; and   not initiate communication by the second communication interface when the first communication interface receives a connection request from the information processing apparatus at a time when the number of connected apparatuses connected to the first communication interface has not reached the number of connectable apparatuses.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the system controller is further configured to initiate communication by the second communication interface responsive to receiving a connection request by the first communication interface from the information processing apparatus,
 wherein the request is received at a time when the number of connected apparatuses which are connected to the image forming unit by the first communication interface has reached the number of connectable apparatuses, and   wherein the connection request includes identification information for use by the second communication interface.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the system controller is further configured to specify the identification information and notification representing that the number of connected apparatuses connected by the first communication interface has reached the number of connectable apparatuses to the information processing apparatus. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the system controller is further configured to not initiate communication by the second communication interface responsive to receiving a connection request from the information processing apparatus by the first communication interface at a time when the number of apparatuses which are connected by the first communication interface has reached the number of connectable apparatuses when the system controller transmits a notification including a MAC address of the information processing apparatus. 
     
     
         22 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a first communication interface having a limit on the number of connectable apparatuses and configured to perform wireless communication with an image forming apparatus by a first communication method, the first communication method capable of transmitting and receiving print data;   a second communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with the image forming apparatus by a second communication method different from the first communication method, the second communication method capable of transmitting and receiving print data; and   a system controller comprising a processor, the system controller configured to:
 generate print data to be used in image formation by the image forming apparatus, 
 cause the first communication interface to transmit a connection request by the first communication method to the image forming apparatus, and 
 output that connection by the first communication method is not allowed when a notification representing that a number of connected apparatuses connected to the image forming apparatus via the first communication method has reached the number of connectable apparatuses is received by the second communication interface. 
   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the system controller is further configured to:
 cause the first communication interface to transmit the print data when communication by the first communication method is established between the information processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus, and   cause the second communication interface to transmit the print data responsive to receiving the notification representing that connection by the first communication method is not allowed is received by the second communication interface.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the first communication interface uses Wi-Fi Direct connections to communicate with the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the second communication interface uses Bluetooth connections to communicate with the image forming apparatus.